There’s nothing quite like going on a vacation with a good book. And when the story is set at a resort or on a yacht, well, it’s a bonus. And it was while I was on vacation with my family, reading a great mystery set at a resort, the idea for my first travel story popped into my head, and Beneath the Surface was born. Our family was vacationing in Croatia, Dubrovnik to be exact, and as I walked the old city and looked out at the azure Adriatic Sea, I spotted a super yacht cruising by. And I wondered, wow, I’m on vacation over here on land but that must be amazing to just zip by, sitting in your own ship’s hot tub, drinking champagne, admiring the old walls and the charming fishing villages.
And that’s when I decided: I’m going to set my next novel on a mega yacht. Unbeknownst to my husband who ironically had decided we all needed to visit Montenegro since we were so close, and we did. It turns out, the only people who were visiting Montenegro when we were there were Russian Oligarchs hiding their yachts. Literally, at restaurants and bars the only people there were crew members from the various luxury ships. Our hotel room faced the marina, and it was great fun watching the various yachts come and go, one more over the top than the next. At night, the yachts lit up with neon and some had dance parties happening as we watched. It truly was like watching a TV show—Above Deck, shall we say. We even discovered an app that if you type in the name of the yacht, the app pulls up all the details.
So off I went in my imagination and The Kingsley family’s weekend trip on a yacht was born. My characters enjoyed plush accommodations, first-class service including five course meals and an endless supply of champagne. John, the oldest son and his wife, Rachel, lamented the fact their room wasn’t as large as Ted, the younger brother, and his wife Paige’s. And when their sister Sibley arrives by helicopter, a very fun scene to write, it’s clear there is turmoil ahead. Their short trip from Newport Beach, California, to Catalina Island wasn’t as exotic as sailing around the Mediterranean, but my characters and I had a lot of fun. Serena, Richard’s sixth wife, plays the hostess during the voyage, wowing the rest of the family with frequent ballgown and outfit changes. If you read the story, I hope it’s a great escape for you, too.
In another happenstance, while I was still writing Beneath the Surface, my family and I were on vacation in the British Virgin Islands and we took a boat to a deserted island, where much to our surprise, Jeff Bezos and his kids were having a private lunch on the sand. We watched as security boats zoomed past us, a full kitchen was created, and two workers raked the sand to perfection. By the time the guests arrived, the tiny island had been transformed into a mini resort with outdoor dining, fresh flowers on the table, and I’m sure, exquisite food. As we sailed around the corner after watching the show for a bit, we encountered Bezos’ mega yacht, a truly magnificent site. Later that evening, when Bezos departed by helicopter, the entire crew—hundreds of people—lined the deck and waved farewell. Yacht life is a nice life, indeed.
When my editor asked for a book two of The Kingsleys, I was excited to go on virtual vacation again. This time, the patriarch, Richard Kingsley, and the gang checked into hotel rooms at my favorite resort in Laguna Beach. The resort in the book is called Twin Palms but it is based on the real resort, The Montage Laguna Beach, and I had so much fun staying there for the months it took to craft the story—in my mind. Fun fact, our family first stayed at this hotel in 2000, when we lived in Ohio, we were there on vacation, and we dreamed of someday living in Laguna Beach because of that experience. I’m telling you, it’s a magnificent place.
The hotel spills down a cliff, all the rooms facing the Pacific Ocean. A signature design of the hotel is the mosaic swimming pool and it’s breathtaking. I smile describing it even now. My characters, of course, stayed in the finest suites on property, enjoyed drinks in the ocean-breeze-cooled piano bar lobby staring out over the pool and the sparkling ocean beyond. Ted, the youngest son of the Kingsley clan, had a drunken afternoon on the beach, while John, the oldest son, kept his young girlfriend Krystle occupied by giving her his room key and unlimited spending privileges at the resort’s boutiques. She even visits the imaginary jewelry store on property and buys herself an impressive ring. I loved imagining her shopping sprees, and her spa makeover.
Paige, the daughter-in-law who is in charge, doesn’t have as much fun at the resort as I’d like for her to have—she’s too busy holding onto power—but when the Santa Ana winds begin to blow, she proves to be up to that challenge, and more. Perhaps she’ll have a chance to relax in the next story.
Of course, since I write suspense with a big dose of family drama, not all goes well for the Kingsley family members on their vacations, on the yacht or at the resort. Trouble ensues, and murder, too. But that’s part of the fun, of course, for those of us who like to read and write crime fiction. Vacation can be murder, as they say, and to me that’s the best type of story to read. And write. I cannot wait to see where the Kingsley Family—those who survived, that is—head to next.
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